


december

by brandywine421



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Defenders (Marvel TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Altered Mental States, Alternate Universe, Angst, Bad BDSM Etiquette, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Magical Healing Cock, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multi, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Pack Bonding, Past Rape/Non-con, Praise Kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-10 15:48:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15952532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brandywine421/pseuds/brandywine421
Summary: She shrugs out of her jacket and hangs it on the 'guest' hook but she doesn't catch his scent until she locks the deadbolt and flips the first light switch.Omega.He's a goddamn omega.  That means he's known her designation - with his fucking super-nose - the whole time."Matt, you're - " she shouldn't have to say it.  "You're not okay right now."The scent thickens as she approaches him on the couch, sweaty but covering his face with his arm.  Unbonded Omega -oh, Matt- she has a whole new respect for the bastard for hiding this for so long.  The weight loss, the fatigue, the rapid-fire bruises from quick spars - it's not an eating disorder.  He's a fully mature Omega with a mess of broken bonds."I can't - focus, I can't - *see* when I'm like this, do you - it's all smells and sensation and I can't," he starts shakily.  "I - I've been going to the Dens but - ""No," she whispers.  "Never - "Mind the tags & rating.  There are multiple mentions of unhealthy and triggering sexual habits/history offscreen.*No mpreg.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> No M-preg. I have no idea what this is. A/B/O 'verse where it's a normal thing, like a food allergy or a skin condition - people without a designation don't know much about it because it doesn't normally cause problems. 'Bonds' are a concept to regular folk but they're a necessity to someone with a designation - most omegas/betas/alphas have a family or pack bond by the time they hit puberty but broken bonds are a serious thing but most* people have enough of a support system that it doesn't affect them. (*most people aren't Matt Murdock.)

_It is December, and nobody asked if I was ready._

 

 

  
_"Is it drinking? Because - you need to see a doctor."_

_He closes his eyes and tries to think. Karen's only trying to help. He repeats it to himself._

_"Please. Tell me something or I'm calling 911, Matt."_

 

* * *

  
  
"I'll make it good for you, Alpha," Murdock shudders, lowering his head as he slowly sinks to his knees and rests his cheek on the floor.

"Christ, we're not doing this," Frank hisses and stalks out of the room into the bathroom. He locks it and sits down on the closed toilet to wait out the Omega pheromones sending jolts of attention to his traitorous dick.

He gets a text an hour later when he's still hard and still hiding in his own bathroom. He can hide from a voicemail but the screen taunts him with her clipped apology. * _i dont know how it works & i didnt trust anyone else. thank you for trying._*

He snatches the phone off the table. * _What do you mean? Where did he go?_ *

* _not our bzns._ *

Well fuck.

* * *

 

"Thanks for coming," Matt says from the darkness inside his apartment.

"Sure," Jessica replies warily. "Can I turn on the lights or is this hide and seek?"

"Sorry, of course. Things - _Karen_ \- she made me promise to talk to someone because she thinks I'm 'out of hand'. Things are out of hand," Matt repeats.

She shrugs out of her jacket and hangs it on the 'guest' hook but she doesn't catch his scent until she locks the deadbolt and flips the first light switch.

 _Omega_. He's a goddamn _omega_. That means he's known her designation - with his fucking super-nose - the whole time.

"Matt, you're - " she shouldn't have to say it. "You're **not** okay right now."  He's in full blown heat.  Goddammit - she saw him three days ago!

The scent thickens as she approaches him on the couch, sweaty but covering his face with his arm. Unbonded Omega - oh _, Matt_ \- she has a whole new respect for the bastard for hiding this for so long. The weight loss, the fatigue, the rapid-fire bruises from quick spars - it's not an eating disorder or alcoholism or cancer. He's a fully mature Omega with a mess of broken bonds.  Heats like this aren't supposed to happen at his age - a family bond, friendship - mate - there are so many kinds of bonds that stop this kind of hell and they all missed the memo that Matt needed one - not even _one_ , Matt?

"I can't - _focus_ , I can't - * **see** * when I'm like this, do you - it's all smells and sensation and I can't," he starts shakily. "I - I've been going to the Dens but - "

"No," she whispers. "Never - "

"I waited too long, I misjudged and I can't use the same one twice in a row," he goes on until she grabs both his hands and prays he'll shut up before she has to think about the Dens.

"No. You can't - we'll find another way, I won't - you _can't_ go there, why the hell - "

"Never had them this bad," he says hoarsely. "Broken bonds, it's - I always had Pack, - Elektra, Stick - "

"That fucking bastard," Jessica snaps, remembering the old Asshole.

"No - it wasn't - blind unbonded Omega wouldn't have lasted long even at Catholic orphanage - but the heats - it's - I can't - they just keep getting worse," Matt shivers as a familiar strike of fever ripples through him. "I - need - "

"We have to get your temperature down to 103 so you can give consent and we'll fucking talk it out after," she says realizing the ramifications of his earlier words. His senses are in overdrive, he probably can't make any fucking decisions for himself in full heat. "Did you tell anyone else?"

"I - trust you first - if you won't help me get to a Den, then - I still have to trust you. I can't - _please_ tell me how to make it stop so I can breathe - "

She straddles him on the couch and takes his face in her hands. He's trembling, he's spilling over with hormones and sensations and she knows she can't make it stop. "I'm so sorry I didn't notice - we'll fix it."

* * *

 

"Ice bath. Did you tell them already?" Jessica asks, face flushed with panic when Claire arrives with Colleen.

"Danny's putting scent neutralizers around the building and she told us enough. She doesn't know how it works, regular medicine won't help," Colleen says, holding up a bag. "We brought supplies."

"What kind of supplies?"

Colleen pauses. "Sorry. I didn't know you were - are we allowed to talk about that?"

Jessica shrugs and Colleen realizes she made a mistake when Claire catches it. "What?"

"I'm Omega, got a bond with Trish so shit like this doesn't happen to me anymore," Jessica admits. "That's why Matt told me first."

Colleen exhales when Claire nods. As a nurse, she should know a bonded Omega, whether through a familial or Pack bond or sexual Mate bond, won't experience the same kind of heats as an unbonded one. Claire brought a full kit of sedatives and tranquilizers but they all know Matt will hate the suggestion.

"Danny has experience with Omegas from K'un-Lun and we're using his routine, if you approve, of course," Colleen says. "You said his senses are off?"

"Nonfunctional for the most part - my stomach growled and I swear his whole body flinched," Jessica sighs, scraping her hand across her scalp. "It's fucking with his balance and his ears are, maybe, bleeding a little because the air pressure dropped. He's a mess."

Claire's fingers tighten around her medical kit but Colleen only nods. "Okay, I can work with that. Our singular goal is to make sure the Omega is safe and comfortable so they are willing to spend their heat with an equal."

Jessica blinks at her, openly shocked. "You really believe that?"

Colleen holds up a sheet filled with Danny's blocky script. "I made him write it down. Claire, can you help me set up the bedroom? I brought the most expensive sheets Danny could afford. Jessica? We're going to need mojitos and we brought you whiskey so please don't use all the rum. I'm going to put mint and lime around the room and if that's not grounding enough we have other things. But incense is too much like smoke," she trails off when she realizes they're both staring at her.

"That - thank you," Jessica blurts out. "That's so smart."

"Matt's our friend. We just wish we'd known what was making him sick before now," Colleen says honestly.

 

* * *

 

  
"You didn't see him, that - that's not the kind of Alpha bullshit - " Frank growls.

"Stop - " Jessica holds up her hand. "I don't care about your offended sensibilities, Asshole." He catches her scent then, the deadly spike of an Omega's protective rage. "She didn't send him there expecting you to hurt him. She told him to ask because - have you ever been inside an Omega's Den? Do you have any idea what they do to him in there?" she seethes.

"No," he replies honestly.

"They do _whatever_ he _asks_ them to," she snaps. "He's mine now. I - won't let anybody fucking touch him - "

He has no doubt that she will rip him apart and holds up his hands. He's glad for once that he's not carrying any guns and hopefully she won't see the knives. "Ma'am, I have only been with one omega in my life and my wife was undesignated - so - "

"So you have no idea what you're fucking around with here. Fucking Normies - Karen should have never - "

"She didn't know, can you stand down? He's settled for now but whatever's riling you up is messing up the whole zen bubble," Claire says, stepping into the room.

"Why are there so many people here?" Frank blurts out.

Claire sighs as Jessica darts into the other room. "It's not ideal but Matt's not himself right now. From what little I know about his other options, there are probably less people in there than he's used to."

A growl burrows out of his throat. "That's not - that isn't how it's supposed to work. That's - sick."

"Agreed. You can go," she says, motioning toward the door.

"I - shit. Sorry. Look, I'm a little invested now. I'm going to - check the perimeter, make sure there's no trace out there of what's happening in here," Frank says. "I'd like to talk to him, when he's not out of his head. Omegas, they're - important. Respectable. Not - whatever he was trying to do. I wasn't brought up that way, and as a Marine, I have a code of honor."

He hesitates by the door when she doesn't respond right away. "Red's my ally more than my enemy these days. The trust - I don't want him to think it was misplaced but I won't - that wasn't the right way to go about it."

"Thank you for leaving your guns outside," Claire says, nodding her understanding. "Keep your phone on."

 

* * *

 

  
"There's - I didn't know it was possible for it just, not stop," Colleen whispers as Matt spills in her hand again and shivers against Danny's bracing hold.

"Shh, it's okay, breathe in, good boy," he murmurs against Matt's spine, threading his fingers through his sweat-plastered hair. "Like the tide, in and out, slow as you can, ride it out."

Her Beta bond with Danny is a warm buzz of love and partnership and devotion buried behind her ribs - but this omega - Matt - Daredevil - _Omega_ \- is something new.

"Slow sucks," Matt rasps, but it's the first thing he's said since he consented to this. "It's, okay, better, so much better than - " he seizes slightly and Danny hushes him, holding him steady. "'S'okay..."

Matt's their friend, their backup - their fucking hero - and she's not going to let him whore himself out because he's too stubborn to admit he needs help. That he needs them.

She licks her hand and carefully takes him inside again and his throat rumbles with a purr that makes Danny smile at her. She kisses him quickly before turning her attention to Matt, pressing her lips against his mouth and making sure he could taste himself on her tongue. He arched into her touch and Danny's eyes slid closed and he wrapped his arms tighter around Matt's waist to hold him still.

"Supposed to hurt," Matt whimpers, turning his face into her shoulder suddenly, breath hot against her skin. "Soft, you're both so - warm, soft, it's - need it to - hurt or - "

Her vision shorts out and Danny makes a strangled sound but all she can see is - fire - she's on _fire_ and the world is too _bright_ \- her eyes burn and she can feel - **_everything_ ** \- red fire sharp - and gold - the bond glows and flares in her chest.

"Shh, it's okay, ride it out - shit, like the ocean, come on - let it go, Matt - " Danny's panting and she can feel him through their bond but there's another - the fire - and she needs it - she understands now as her sight returns and she sees Danny's jewel-bright eyes matching her own new understanding.

"Fire," she says, splaying her hand over Matt's chest. She can't believe he's been sharing this with anyone that would make it *hurt*. "It's - beautiful - it's - too - "

"Precious, powerful, perfect," Danny murmurs and this time when Matt's body convulses with climax the blinding fire takes them all in a wave.

* * *

 

Jessica's already by the door when Danny, Colleen and - _thank fuck_ \- Matt - come stumbling out, freshly showered and mostly lucid.

She catches Matt's wrist and he melts against her, lazy and momentarily sated. She finally relaxes when the vibration of his muted purr hums against her shoulder.

"It works. I didn't think it would work," he rumbles when she gives in to her Omega instincts and smoothes his damp hair back and checks his exposed skin for injuries outside of love-bites.

"It still surprises me," she admits. Every time - every heat she takes with Trish is a pleasant surprise after Kilgrave and all the others.

"They wouldn't - even when I asked - " he says, fatigue slurring his words.

"Good, that's the way this is supposed to work. Not - promise me you'll never go back to one of those Dens - just - there's always a better way, there always has to be a better way," she says in a rush.

His purr gets stronger. "I trust you," he says and warmth curls in her guts. She kisses his forehead, still overheated with the fever despite the break. "Safe here."

"He needs to eat," Colleen calls and she manages not to snarl at the Beta when Danny pulls him over to the couch.

"And the chills will kick up soon," Danny says apologetically to her.

"Did you use protection?" Claire asks Colleen from the kitchen, apparently cleared to enter while Jessica was grooming Matt.

"The Hand took that out of the equation when I was twelve," Colleen shrugs. "They don't need Beta breeders."

"That's - horrible - but - " Claire stammers, visibly shocked.

"Clean. I can tell. Don't get upset, it totally worked," Matt says, swaying into Danny's side when he settles.

Jessica takes his empty side before the nurse can get it. She isn't sure if it's a good time for questions but she doubts the fierce woman will let them get out of a hospital trip if she doesn't think their remedy's working.

"Okay, fine, but - "

"I was aware the whole time, didn't need a hood or a gag or a - " Matt mumbles.

"Shh," Jessica soothes before he slips out of the ease of the post-coital gaze.

"Pay them extra to choke me out," Matt murmurs.

Claire doesn't say anything but Danny's completely frozen.

"Getting off is a privilege, not a right," Jessica hisses.

"Costs more than extra for that," he rumbles out a laugh.

Claire stands up abruptly. "That's fucking sick."

"We're not letting him do that anymore," Jessica says sharply. "Sit down and be normal. Did you get rid of our guest?"

Matt lolls his head to the side. "He's stalking the perimeter. He changed out one of the scent markers. I can focus again."

"And we're all very happy for you, but you should eat now," Colleen says with a tray of broth and toast.

"They didn't treat Omegas like that at K'un-Lun. They were revered and it was always an honor to be chosen to share a heat," Danny says quietly. "It's - I didn't think it was awful for them."

Jessica makes a mental note that Colleen doesn't add anything but at least Claire relaxes slightly. "Why is the Alpha sticking around?"

She hesitates. "Most of his prior experience with Omegas was in the military, in working conditions - he only slept with an Omega once and it wasn't her heat. Hell, what you guys are talking about - I'm medically trained and I've never heard of it. So - he was a little put off about the offer."

"Shit, you didn't explain anything to him, did you?" Jessica realizes.

"Couldn't think. Never had an Alpha turn me down before. Probably should've stripped first," Matt hums, ignoring the tray of food on his lap.

"Anyway," Claire redirects shakily. "He offered to check the scent cleansers because you guys are busy. He'd like to talk to you when you're not compromised."

"Do you trust him?" Danny asks Matt, half asleep. "You only work with him when we're not around."

"Mmm. Only Alpha that knows all my secrets already," Matt rumbles. "Trust him with Daredevil, trust him with Murdock, trust him enough to let him mount me."

"Okay, you're a hot mess. Wake up and eat before you pass out. Stop freaking out Claire," Jessica says, jostling him upright and cupping his chin.

"Thanks. Sorry. Steady," he nods and she believes him. She doesn't know if the Betas can go another round soon enough if Matt's fever spikes again but at least she has an Alpha on his consent list.

 

* * *

 

  
Karen glances at her phone again and Foggy puts his beer down with a sigh. "Do you need to be somewhere else?"

"No, but they've been giving me regular updates and it's been radio silence for a while. Did - did you know about the omega thing?" Karen asks, tearing her eyes away from the phone to meet his gaze.

He's been punched in the face and gut before but this feeling is worse. Shit. How could he - did he really forget? "Matt's in heat? Why is - "

Her face flashed with relief. "So you do know, can you explain it? Because I thought I was helping but apparently I broke this huge rule instead and I haven't talked to him - they're not letting me talk to him."

Marci gasps sharply and Foggy forgot she was meeting them until this moment. "Wait, what? Murdock - he's got a designation?"

"It's none of your business," Karen huffs.

She grabs Foggy's wrist. "No - tell me. I have to know."

"I don't talk about yours so I can't talk about his," Foggy stammers. "What's _with_ you?"

"I think I know him, Foggy. From the Dens," Marci says.

"You go to those places?" Karen whispers, covering her mouth.

"They're regulated by the government, I'm a licensed Alpha. I - chaperone, I don't participate," Marci replies coolly before turning back to Foggy. "Tell me I'm wrong."

"You're wrong," he replies automatically. "He never needed help with his heats, he has a Pack - " Foggy freezes as he puts the pieces together. "Shit."

"Elektra, and the old guy. Stick. Both dead, and it wasn't a 'conventional' arrangement for them," Karen says slowly. "It took forever for me to get an answer out of him but he's been so weird lately - he told his team. His friends. They're looking after him."

"If he's the same Omega - he's - shit, we've been trying to pin him down for a welfare check for months - since he first turned up," Marci blurts out. "He takes off as soon as his fever breaks and - shit, it's probably a good thing if he's worried about the Devil bullshit."

" **Marci** \- how the hell do you know that?" Foggy demands.

"You talk in your sleep, but I don't give a shit about vigilantes, that's his problem. But I do give a shit about damaged Omegas," Marci snaps.

"Wouldn't he have known you were there, like, your smell?" Karen asks, taking the news better than he is.

She flinches and Foggy suddenly needs to know the answer. "She's right - why wouldn't he have recognized you?"

She raises her hand and trails her fingers over her eyes, nose and mouth. "Full hood and restraints. I've never made physical contact, his vitals never go out of range so I can't intervene," she says finally. "There are rules in place, I can't interrupt if the rules aren't broken."

"I didn't know - It didn't even cross my mind that he would - he said he didn't have heats," Foggy says honestly.

Karen sighs. "He's been having them since Elektra died the first time, he says when Stick died something...broke."

"Of course it did, that fucking asshole knows better," Marci says, voice cracking. "We have counselors and trained Alphas to work on healing bonds broken in traumatic ways so shit like this - he _knows_ because he's sent clients there - he knows other ways exist - "

Karen cuts her off and holds out her phone. "You said you had a license, take a picture of it and we'll see if you're worth knowing Matt's secrets."

 

* * *

  
"Aw, pretty little thing like you, not even going to make me work for it?"

Frank's chin scrubs coarsely across his knuckles before he kisses each wrist, pulse point against teeth and hands - fever surges through him and a desperate noise breaks free. "Hold me down and take it, just, please - "

"Shh, steady, Red. Listen to my voice, we had a deal, remember?" The hands are still but Frank's hot breath sends a shiver across his chest.

He forces air into his lungs, mint and lime cut with a freshly sharpened knife. "You won't hold me down. You won't hurt me. You'll only knot me if I'm focused enough to mean it."

"That's right, so what can I do that's not going to break any of those rules but will make a darling Omega purr for me again?"

"Kiss me," he says - needing the contact, the connection - something hotter than the fire burning through his body.

Frank tastes like salt and mint and copper and his senses burst into a shower of white hot need until he's yanked back into his body with firm hands on his hips.

"You - are - a wonder, Red," Frank pants into his throat.

Matt pushes his hand into Frank's hair and makes sure he can see his mouth when he speaks. "I verbally request for you to please be inside me when you kiss me again, please. Sound mind and body, consent."

Frank chuckles and slides his fingers over Matt's demanding cock, smearing his last release before licking his fingers and leaning close to capture his mouth. Hands - heat - fingers teasing his desperate ring - but he shudders and tunnels down at Frank's deep growl of words sliding into full focus. "The way you taste, are you listening? The way you taste, the way you smell - like hellfire and sweet sin, shit - " Matt can't breathe, he's aflame - in full bloom - and Frank doesn't stop, pressing and filling him with his voice. "Just - just know if you get too close it - you are all-encompassing - "

Frank's knot swells and Matt's trembles at the wave of release.

"Your world's on fire, Omega, because people would burn it down for a _taste_ of you," Frank whispers against his lips.

 

* * *

  
"It's not just a thing with orphans," Colleen says finally, not wanting to listen to Claire and the other undesignated guests to keep calling it 'abuse' where Matt or Jessica might hear it. Well, Matt's still occupied but who knows with him. "I'd call it a Mentor bond, it's not the same as what you call 'Pack' but it's similar. My sensei bonded the entire class to him.  We had regular duels to the death so we would know how to manage the pain from a severed bond. It's not a sexual thing - at least it wasn't for a Beta like me."

"That's - still really fucked up" Claire whispers sadly.

"But it was smart. Elektra was bonded to him too, and an Alpha so when she hooked up with Matt - it would have made them stronger if they had the same intent," Danny sighs.

"So that's what kind of bond you pulled off tonight to steady him? A Mentor bond?" Marci asks and Colleen's not sure she's okay with the stranger taking notes.

"He's taught us more than enough to earn the link," Danny says, lacing their fingers together. "It's not enough to fix him - but he'll feel protected and...not alone."

The door to the back finally opens and a wave of cold air and sex washes across the room until the spilled vodka from earlier overtakes it in a reminder of imminent cleanup duty. Matt's electricity bill's going to be through the roof from the jacked up AC.

The shower's running and she can see candles burning so she pushes down her instinct to follow up until Jessica steps out.

"Crisis averted," she says blankly, carrying a bottle of rum. "They're washing up and - it was fine. It was actually fine."

Colleen finally relaxes and curls against Danny's side.

Frank emerges first, fully dressed but not fully armed yet even if they let him bring his 'sack of guns' inside the building this time. He narrows his eyes at Marci and stalks over to her.

"No, you may _not_ have the name of every Alpha that's ever knotted him, it's actually written into the release you signed," Marci says without hesitation.

"You don't know what that was like - he's - that's not something that can be *shared*," Frank replies.

"Where is he?"

Matt stumbles out after a moment until Jessica catches his arm. "Whose idea was it to get me drunk?"

Danny raises his hand.

"Good idea, I'm going to pass out momentarily," Matt says, tilting his head. "Probably on that couch or in the bathtub when I can convince most of you to go home so I can sleep."

"Who is included in 'most of us'?" Colleen asks but Danny's already rearing back to protest.

"Frank's going to stay, we have some - details to discuss when I'm not coming out of a sexual fever right into an alcohol blackout. So unless anyone else is volunteering to hold my hair when I start throwing up in the sink - "

Marci stands up first. "Also, remember anything related to a person's designation is private and protect by a shit-ton of human rights law so no matter who you talked to outside of this room before tonight - "

"We're all on the same page, ma'am," Frank says, sliding his arm around Matt's waist to take her weight from Jessica with a fond tenderness that soothes all of Colleen's concern.

"Everyone that knows about the last few days was already aware of my other secrets," Matt says.

"You'll have a lot of pamphlets in your mailbox tomorrow, Murdock. You can't ignore this part of yourself anymore and the band-aids you managed this time won't last long enough for you to heal without some attention," Marci says, not unkindly.

"He'll be in touch. With you, not Nelson. He needs someone who gets it," Colleen says just to end the rising tension. Matt nods and she can tell that while no one's eager to leave, the Omega's about to drop.  He chose Frank to stay with him and they have to accept that.  For now.

 

* * *

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

"I didn't realize I'd get sick," Matt says softly on his second cup of coffee.

Frank scans him suspiciously. "I knew a lotta guys joined the service just to get a bond they knew wouldn't snap."

"My Dad didn't know. I didn't - manifest, just, Stick fixed it when he found me. Everything I know about being an Omega I learned from books, or from Elektra," he admits.

"That lawyer, the Alpha, she seemed to think you know more than that," Frank pushes.

"They were enough, I never needed another bond - it never crossed my mind, you know? They weren't here - it - my sexual habits didn't - I didn't need them to function, so why - " Matt trails off.

Frank thinks of Elektra and Matt and their harmonized fighting styles. "You guys were a matched set, how much of that was Stick's plan?"

"All of it, probably. She said - he found me for her. I was always hers," Matt says.

He needs to find someone to kill violently soon. "You know that's some kind of fucked up shit, right?"

"Marci's right," Matt says suddenly. "I had all the signs of an Omega in crisis - "

"Have. Present tense," Frank corrects. "Sure, you've got more color today but you're underweight and bruised to shit - and everyone was very careful with you despite your best efforts. I've seen Omegas at Rikers come out of Solitary looking better than you."

"I thought it was just...grief," he says, curling his hands around his cup. "Depression, whatever. The heats just got worse every time."

Frank slides his chair back but doesn't stand. "You can't handle another round like this one. You've got backup now, are you going to use it?"

Matt doesn't reply immediately. "I have to. If our enemies - my enemies - found me twisted up like that - "

Frank surges with sudden rage. "Fisk would have you trussed up like - how did you fucking hide - "

"It's not in my medical records," Matt says after a long moment. "No one was supposed to know, ever. I broke all Stick's rules telling Foggy - "

Frank slams his fist against the counter and it's testament to how comfortable the Devil is with him when he doesn't flinch. "Don't put this off on ninja bullshit. It's not in your medical records, Red? Are you shitting me right now?"

"It wasn't an issue. It wasn't supposed to be an issue. It's not supposed to make me weak, or lose control. I'm stronger than that. I'm supposed to be - " Matt bites off his words. "Fuck."

"Right," Frank huffs, reining in his anger. "This can't happen again. Your little ducklings can do their thing to reinforce their bond," he tries not to hiss at the thought of the the cheery Betas. "But you and I can do better."

Matt tilts his head and Frank wonders what he's listening to. "I'm open to ideas."

Frank makes his way back to the fancy coffeemaker and refills both their mugs. "In the Marines, all the Alpha COs have mandatory Omegas on their team for balance and power-sharing. Figure we can work out something like that. Curt's been hassling me to try Omega-therapy anyway and you probably aren't likely to put your name on anything at a clinic for a match, are you?"

"We match," Matt says. "I trust you. That - would be very helpful. It would solve...a lot of problems but - "

"But nothing. I mean it, Red," Frank cuts him off and stalks back across the kitchen to clamp his hand on his shoulder. "You're an Omega - a bond with you - of any kind automatically makes your partner stronger. Or wiser, to listen to the rich kid - so it makes sense that they plucked you out of an orphanage to bind you up."

"Frank," Matt whispers. "Don't."

"You gotta take it back. You have to find a way to keep that raw fucking power out of anybody else's hands, do you understand?" Frank grabs his hand and forces it into a fist before covering it with his own. "The Devil I want watching my back doesn't beg for anything. Deal?"

"Yeah. Deal," Matt says. "Marci's coming. I should find my phone. Can you let her in and, tell her -"

"That you're an undocumented, unbonded Omega with shit for brains? Yeah, I can tell her," Frank agrees.

 

* * *

 

  
Jessica drops the giant fruit basket that Trish insisted she bring on the counter and sniffs the air before she finally turns her attention to the table where Matt and Marci are are locked in an epic battle of bitchface. There's no sign of an Omega scent so something definitely worked.

She needs in on that. "What's going on?"

"Matthew seems to think that a therapeutic bond with The Punisher is a valid idea," Marci states flatly.

Matt doesn't deny it. "I said I would look at the paperwork from his counselor. She sent him to get a release signed with his fake name."

"Castle's got a counselor?" Jessica asks and Marci glares at her. "We took a look at the military guidelines and they're better than I expected for Omegas. With the extenuating circumstances of Matt's 'lifestyle', he passes the litmus test for secret-keeping."

Marci flips her hair and opens a file. Jessica reads over her shoulder. "John Doe, Anonymous Unbonded Omega, Documentation Only, Private Rehabilitation Plan Accepted."

"Thank you," Matt says, shifting uncomfortably.

"I'll sign as witness," Jessica says. She remembers the report. "Trish used to make me do these every six months."

"His designation should be in his medical file but his extenuating circumstances are why I'm not forcing the issue," Marci says, ruining Jessica's attempt at reassurance.

"I'm grateful, Marci. But I'm also very aware that most of my close friends saw me naked and at my most vulnerable recently and I'm doing the best to overcome that without making this difficult," Matt says in a firm voice. He splays his hand out and the unsteadiness slowly builds into a visible tremor that twists Jessica's heart. "I need this to stop."

Marci finally drops her professional 'eleven in a world of twos' attitude and nods. "I just want to help."

"And you are," Matt says quietly. "You're a great Omega advocate, you always have been - but I need you to be a friend right now. You can write your report and give me advice, but please don't make me put another possible weakness on paper." Jessica's relieved to hear that the lawyer has more experience than Alpha Chaperone to bring to the table but she should have known Matt wouldn't trust her without good reason.

"It's all confidential. It'll get rid of all the flags on your file at the Dens as long as you don't go back," Marci says. "Start with your history. When did you manifest?"

"Eleven. At the orphanage," he answers.

Marci hesitates. "They would have moved you."

"My mentor, he flipped it on when he bonded me," Matt says. "It wasn't a spontaneous thing."

"That's why you purr," Jessica realizes and Matt tilts his head at her curiously. "It's usually a teenage thing, right?"

"He purrs? Jesus, you need - never mind. Okay. Not putting that in the report. What - shit, Matt - what kind of bond - "

Matt shakes his head sharply. "It wasn't sexual. He bit me, drew blood and cauterized the mark," he says is a flat tone.

Jessica sits down before her knees buckle. "Don't write that down either."

"Fledgling bonds initiated through pain - no matter how they did it medieval times - are notoriously problematic," Marci replies.

Matt opens his mouth but closes it before he lets his question out. Jessica thumps his knuckle. "The purring, it's - it never happened before, I thought it was normal."

"No," Marci mumbles but visibly steadies herself. "You manifested prematurely and didn't have a - conventional familial bond. The orphanage would have provided one, school - hell, undergrad - it's a requirement when a designation appears and you skipped all the steps, Matt."

"But Elektra and I, we had - " he starts.

"How old was she when the old bastard branded her?" Jessica asks before she processes and Marci gasps, a flash of anger in her eyes.

"We were a matched set," Matt whispers. "I was always meant for her."

Marci puts her pen down. "Time out."

"Is this necessary for the report?" Matt asks.

"Yes." Jessica answers before Marci fucks up the carefully balanced interrogation. "Your bond was already fucked up, twisted - you barely spent any time with them, right? How are you this old and those are the only bonds you ever had?"

Matt huffs and crosses his arms but it's more of a righteous pout than a full 'fuck off'.

"Meditation, masochism and luck. A shit-ton of luck," Marci hisses.

"What am I supposed to do about it?" Matt blurts out.

Jessica swats him on the back of the head. "Eliminate the second one and maybe you'll be healthy enough to handle it."

"He's been conditioned to associate pain with his role as Omega," Marci says before focusing her full attention on Matt. "Do you have a nest?"

Matt smiles and she knows something awful's coming. "It's internal," he taps on his chest. "Since I'm blind, and focused, I carry it."

"We're going to make it external and tangible, Matt. Right now, your body is suffering so when you go to your safe place, it's surrounded by pain. Do you understand?" Marci asks slowly.

"Trish had a whole separate room for me when I came back to her after my shit. It was just my space, I didn't even let her in for the first few months. Now it's more mobile, like, I just need her," Jessica says. "It works, though. Surrounding yourself with things to keep you grounded. You're untethered and your biology isn't going to settle until you fix it."

"Things. I have things. Foggy used to call it my hoard. I haven't looked at it in a while," Matt frowns. He motions to the bedroom and limps out of sight.

Something flits across Marci's expression and she won't meet her eyes. Jessica doesn't push when Matt's bat-ears are sure to hear it.

"They used to spend every day together but after the firm folded - they maybe talk once a week on the phone. Undesignated families may work like that - but - " Marci whispers.

She gets it. Foggy's presence would have eased the shock of the broken bond, or at least he would have have noticed it. Matt's managed to make do with minimal social bonds but even those have frayed too much to hold him together. "He's got a lot of history here, you think we need to find him a 'clean' place?"

Marci shakes her head. "This is triage. Seriously, I've helped sex trafficking victims that have more to work with than Matt. I've known him for years," she says, pale with the slip of honesty.

"So you do this kind of thing a lot?" Jessica asks to hopefully get the woman to suck it up.

Matt returns with a dusty vinyl gym bag. "Marci's a better Omega Advocate than she is a lawyer, and she's a very good lawyer. I've given her name to clients and friends for years, but it's different when she's directing her crisis counseling at me."

"Years, Matt."

He inhales. "I didn't need any help then. Now I do. Tell me how to make a nest."

 

* * *

 

  
"Your buddy came through, Castle," Marci greets him at the door.

Frank knows that already from the signed paperwork in his pocket but he's not sure how she knows. She holds out a laminated license with Pete Castiglione's name on it. "Matched?"

"Don't carry it when you're prancing around shooting people, but in the light of day, it's a good thing to have. Did you read the pamphlets?"

"I don't prance," Frank replies, putting his bag down heavily.

"Ten," Matt says from the kitchen.

"Excuse me?" Frank wonders if there was a quiz.

"You can hide ten guns, lock up the rest," Matt says when he joins them at the table covered with laundry. Jessica nods to him from behind a laptop. "Is it okay if you stay here for a few days?"

"It was in the pamphlet. My current place isn't set up for guests," Frank says. He puts his hand on Matt's shoulder and squeezes gently. Matt tilts his head at him, confused. "Shared quarters and frequent physical contact," he quotes from the 'so you want to form a therapeutic bond' leaflet.

"I'm organizing my nest," Matt says. "Apparently it has to be a tangible thing and not just a concept."

"So far his preferences have been narrowed down to 'soft'," Jessica offers helpfully.

He takes in the spread of clothing but he doesn't know Red well enough to make any connections.

"He's throwing most of this out. He needs to redefine what makes up his safe place," Marci says, joining them.

"It takes ten guns make you feel safe?" Frank asks.

Red smiles. "That's for your benefit. I'm not good at picking out sightlines, but I figured with the roof access that would be enough for now."

"I'll keep it in mind," Frank snorts. It was a nice thought, though.

Matt reaches down and picks up a silky red shawl, no, cape. He slides the fabric between his fingers and silently holds it out to Marci. "Storage."

"It's Elektra's, pitch it," Jessica says without looking up.

"I loved her. And she might want it back," Matt replies quietly.

"Hold it - she's not dead?" Frank asks.

"She's dead as in no heartbeat, but she's still roaming around. She's not Alpha anymore, she's not - alive," Jessica hedges.

"It's a long story. I - everything else I'll trash but - " Matt hesitates.

"Keep going," Marci agrees, tucking it into her briefcase. "You know what she looks like in case she turns up?"

Frank nods. "BOLO noted."

Matt takes an oversized sweatshirt and passes it to Marci. "Foggy's, freshman year. He ripped the tag out and there's a hole in the collar."

"He hates those," Marci consents, pushing it into her briefcase with the cape.

Frank's not sure that's a good idea. "Isn't he still your friend?"

"We're different people now. I'll get a new hand-me-down if I need one," Matt deflects, picking up a gray knitted scarf.

Jessica snatches it from him and swaps it for the dark blue one she's wearing. "Sap."

Matt drapes it around his neck with full drama and smiles. "This works."

"So, it's a clothes thing?" Frank asks.

"Or trinkets, but we can't really stick up a photo collage for Matt," Marci says.

Matt continues sorting through the rest without explanation and the women don't interrupt as the table is cleared. "How's that?"

Marci crosses her arms. "That leaves you a scarf and a set of boxing gloves. It's not even a start, Matt."

"I'm clicking over here, he'll have a delivery in a couple of hours," Jessica says.

Frank reaches into his own bag and pulls out a frayed hoodie he hasn't thrown out yet. Matt strums the sleeve through his fingers with a thoughful expression and takes it with a nod. "I'll bring my gloves over, that'll count for interaction on the treatment plan."

"Boxing doesn't count as personal contact," Marci frowns.

"It's for the shared interest box. I'm benched until this is resolved but I'll need to be in shape," Matt says. Frank's interested. He's fought the Devil on multiple occasions but never for 'play'. "It's not like he's going to take me shooting."

"Different weight classes, but we can handle sparring," Frank backs him up.

"How about you hold the heavy bag for each other for the first couple of weeks before you start the punching?" Marci sighs.

"We're keeping the 'pain-free' protocol from the heat since it seemed to work. But I might need to punch things sometimes," Matt says.

Marci sighs and taps something on her tablet. "Keep it in another room. So you're thinking massage, meditation, heavy petting - what kind of sexual routines are you setting up for the bond?"

Her bluntness shouldn't surprise him by now but Frank will never be used to the 'audience' involved in this kind of Omega discussion.

"We aren't doing those steps, we're sticking to the military regiment for a start," Matt says without flinching. "Sex has always defaulted to casual for me - I don't associate it with relationships. Frank does."

Frank shrugs. "He's not wrong. Never did the whole one-night-stand thing but - "

"So our therapeutic bond won't include sex unless he decides he's ready for that - it's not just about my comfort level, it's his choice, too," Matt continues over him. "It's not something we have to discuss with you right now."

Marci digs in her heels and stares him down - blindness be damned. "You might have post-heat flashes and if you default to casual sex and you aren't getting it from him - "

"Danny and Colleen don't sleep around," Matt cuts he off. "They've invited me to hang out when I'm unattached and sober."

Jessica thrummed her fingers on the table. "I threw my name in there, too, for the not-so-sober nights. Sex isn't his issue, the pain shit is his issue. You don't have to put his sexual habits in the report if they're not unsafe."

Frank remembers something else from the pamphlet and pulls a handful of lollipops from his pocket. Matt smiles brightly. "Is that cheap bodega candy?"

"Fake cherry, like your chap-stick. Even if you don't like it yourself, it's a smell and a taste in one. And we can change the subject now," Frank replies, unwrapping one for himself and tossing the rest on the table. Some things should be discussed without an audience.

 

* * *

 

  
"I don't think I want you to sleep with your friends. It seems like it might make things weird."

Matt's not quite asleep but he knows they weren't having a conversation when he dosed off. He orients himself - flush with Frank's body on the couch. New fleece blanket and down pillows. "Weird?"

"Mm. Not that I have any say in it, but, we could try it out. The casual thing. Partner bond."

Matt isn't expecting that. "Do you even date men?"

"Depends on the man. Didn't date much before Maria, or after. Breaks the friend rule to hit on my ex's ex, right?"

"Oh, wow," Matt smiles, Karen will be touched. "Really?"

"Not the Devil. All that fetish shit, it's really not my thing," Frank yawns. "Like you in a tie. Always want to fuck up your hair. Granted, knowing you could ninja chop your way out of trouble is a plus, but - yeah."

"Huh." Frank's heartbeat stumbles and Matt slides his arm around his waist under the blanket. "I didn't think - we can do that. I thought you were just doing me a favor."

"Daredevil and The Punisher are never going to see eye to eye," Frank hums. "But we might as well go all in on this bond thing, make it strong as we can so I don't have to shoot you and you don't have to throw those fucking sticks at me."

"What's 'all in' mean?" Matt questions.

"Tell those betas to fuck off and we'll figure it out."

Matt laughs. "Territorial much?"

Frank grumbles into his hair, breath hot on his scalp. "Just don't like sharing. You're worth more than a pity fuck. We can figure it out."

"Okay. We'll figure it out."

"Good."

 

* * *

 

  
"Why haven't we met you before?" David asks warily.

"Because I know you'll roll on me to protect him and we have an agreement," Matt replies, approaching the cot and spooking the man from his position. He nods to the medic, Curtis, if he's making the right connection, and carefully lays his hand on Frank's shoulder.

He relaxes immediately and exhales, fumbling until he manages to grasp Matt's hand. "Red. Gloves?"

"His BP's elevated but no concussion - did he get dosed with something?" Matt asks as he allows Frank to pull off his glove so he can finish sizing up the damage. Despite Frank's battered body, he's not physically damaged enough for an emergency text. He pauses long enough to take one of the lollipops from his pocket and slip it into Frank's mouth.

"Knew you'd get it," Frank sighs, smiling and lacing their fingers together and closing his eyes.

"He flipped out, we had to tranq him but at least he's not trying to scratch our faces off anymore," David says.

Curtis watches him closely but Matt's listening to Frank's familiar pulse and trying to track where the damage starts.

"He didn't tell me it was you," Curtis says finally.

Matt pinpoints the source and hovers his free hand over the spot. "Right hip, I think the needle broke off."

"The only reason he didn't lose his fucking mind is because of the bond - perps weren't expecting that," Curtis says and helps pull down Frank's jeans enough to see the inflamed mark.

"They wanted to make him snap?" Matt asks.

"Oh yeah," David picks up. "His designation's on file, people always try to make him rage-out. He hadn't mentioned to us that he met an Omega."

"Therapeutic bond, and it's not your business," Curtis says and Matt's opinion of the stranger ticks up a notch. He doesn't release Frank's hand but moves aside so the doc can pull the needle out.

"Sarah's going to want to meet you," David says.

"Not an option," Matt replies. "No offense, but - I'm going through some shit right now. I can't make any more friends until my next eval."

Curtis snorts, "Rules."

"Dude, you've really helped him out - " David continues. "She says his whole scent has settled, which sounds utterly gross to me but she swears is a good thing."

"Could you tell?" Matt asks Curtis.

"Not until you touched him skin to skin; you're not scenting," he replies.

Matt can tell he's not lying but he's still not ready to commit to meeting Frank's 'pack'. "I can stay until his system's clean. I don't know if this safehouse is on my list of approved spots."

"Stay 'til day. It's on the list," Frank murmurs. "Clothes in the back."

"You sure I don't need to - "

"Killed 'em all. Not supposed to talk shop," Frank says.

Matt has to tug his fingers out of Frank's grip but he doesn't have another argument ready. If Frank's friends are okay with helping him with murder quests as an international fugitive then hopefully he can trust them with his identity, and designation.

He can hear Frank's grumble from the bathroom as he changes into the clothes that feel like Danny's money. "Be nice. Helps. Don't wanna fuck it up."

"You didn't tell me the omega you were working with was Daredevil," Curt hisses out.

"Didn't matter. Night jobs don't come into it. He's going through some shit on the other side," Frank cuts him off.

"We can keep secrets, I'm pretty offended right now," David says.

Matt runs his fingers through his hair before he slides on the glasses. "Best way to keep a secret is to never tell anyone," he says as he returns.

"Well. That's a helluva secret, Mr. Murdock. You were his lawyer, right?" David whistles low.

Curtis laughs sharply. "Jesus Christ, Boy, you know what Fisk would've done to you if he had any idea?"

Frank growls and Matt presses his fingers into his wrist to distract them both with pulse. "Wasn't an issue before. I need it never to be an issue," he replies.

"Not an issue except you still have to meet the wife," David says. "Seriously, tell him, Frank."

Frank growls and raises himself off the bed enough to direct what Matt assumes is a glare. "Leave him alone. He can work on social shit later, he's helping me sleep right now." He holds out the stick from the candy before he slumps back onto the cot.

"What he said," Matt concedes. He can get the idea out of Frank's head later.

 

* * *

 

  
"Is there a reason you don't want me to blow you?"

Frank's cock responds before he actually wakes up. "S'cuse me?" Matt's in meditation position at the edge of the bed.

"The restraints, the spanking, all that - I get it, off the table. But I'm not asking you to fuck my throat - it just - I don't remember hating it," Matt says. Frank knows the bastard's eyes don't work but he tilts his head and he knows Matt can sense his growing arousal.

"I can't tell if that means you like it or just don't hate it," Frank says.

"Can it be both?" Matt replies with a wicked smirk. "It's the next step in courtship, right?"

He laughs and kicks off the sheets off his legs. "You're not as cute as you think you are."

Matt straddles his knees in a fluid motion and traces his fingers up his thighs. "It's your fault with those lollipops. I'm tired of your tongue being the only thing I'm allowed to have inside me. Can I?"

He's not firing on enough cylinders to have this conversation and Red's hands on him aren't helping him think.

"Making you feel good makes me feel better. You're clingy in your sleep, you know?" Matt leans down and licks a stripe across his stomach. "You start out at a polite distance, breath just tickling the back of my neck, and then it's your knee, sliding between my thighs - " he nips at his bellybutton. "And I wake up with you wrapped around me, just, you're all I can feel and hear - "

"You're a tease, Red," he manages, trying not to move while this man fucking ruined him with his light touch.

"I'd like to suck you off before I brush my teeth," Matt says.

Frank pretends to sigh. "Well, I guess we can level up if - " He doesn't get a chance to finish because Matt's mouth is on him. He twists his fingers in the slick sheets to keep his hands out of Matt's hair but his train of thought finally returns to him. "If you let me return the favor - "

"I'm not going to last that long," Matt says, repositioning himself and working Frank with his hand for a moment. "Biofeedback or something - but later, sure, just - this now."

 

  
_Winter has arrived like the stray cat_  
 _who patrols my neighborhood -_  
 _annoyed by my foolish surprise_  
 _at its sudden appearance_  

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may add to this later, but this seems fine. Hints of some actual romance. Huh. 
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and comments, every click means a lot to me.

**Author's Note:**

> Title, opening & end tag from Sarah Kay's poem "Winter Without You".


End file.
